Market Esquites
Tender corn kernels simmered with a fragrant herb, served hot in a cup, brightened with lime juice, chili, salt, and a cloud of crumbled cheese. Eaten with a spoon, standing, in the street.
Tender corn kernels simmered with a fragrant herb, served hot in a cup, brightened with lime juice, chili, salt, and a cloud of crumbled cheese. Eaten with a spoon, standing, in the street.
Walk with me through the market of Mexico City, and hold out your cup to the esquites vendor. The ladle plunges into the cauldron, the corn steams, then come the lime, chili, salt — and there is the people refreshing themselves between errands. I who distributed Homer's classics to schoolchildren know that a nation's greatness is also measured by the dignity of its street food. Eat hot, squeeze the lime well, and do not fear the chili: it is the very taste of my living country.
- •Tender corn kernels — full cauldron (base)
- •Epazote (herb) — a few sprigs (flavor)
- •Lime, chili powder, salt — to taste (seasoning)
- •Crumbled fresh cheese — a pinch per serving (topping)
Market Esquites
Tender corn kernels simmered with a fragrant herb, served hot in a cup, brightened with lime juice, chili, salt, and a cloud of crumbled cheese. Eaten with a spoon, standing, in the street.
Why this dish? In the markets and near Mexico City schools, vendors sold esquites by the cup, ladling from their large steaming cauldron. This is the popular street food that Vasconcelos encountered daily while traversing the capital to build his network of schools and libraries.
Walk with me through the market of Mexico City, and hold out your cup to the esquites vendor. The ladle plunges into the cauldron, the corn steams, then come the lime, chili, salt — and there is the people refreshing themselves between errands. I who distributed Homer's classics to schoolchildren know that a nation's greatness is also measured by the dignity of its street food. Eat hot, squeeze the lime well, and do not fear the chili: it is the very taste of my living country.
Ingredients (period version)
- Tender corn kernels — full cauldron (base)
- Epazote (herb) — a few sprigs (flavor)
- Lime, chili powder, salt — to taste (seasoning)
- Crumbled fresh cheese — a pinch per serving (topping)
Ingredients
- Fresh (or frozen) corn kernels — 500 g (base)
- Epazote (or, if unavailable, a little cilantro) — 2 sprigs (flavor)
- Limes — 2, juiced (acidity)
- Chili powder (e.g., chile piquín) — 1 tsp (heat)
- Mayonnaise or cream — 3 tbsp (creaminess (optional))
- Crumbled fresh cheese (cotija or feta) — 60 g (salty topping)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Sauté the corn kernels in a little fat for 5 min, then cover with water just to the top with epazote and a little salt.
- Simmer 10 to 12 min until kernels are tender; remove herb.
- Divide hot corn (with some of its liquid) into cups.
- Top with mayonnaise/cream, lime juice, chili, salt, and crumbled cheese.
- Serve immediately, with a spoon, very hot.
How it was made : The word esquite comes from Nahuatl izquitl. Traditionally, the corn simmered for hours in a large copper cazo perfumed with epazote; the vendor served with a ladle and seasoned to the customer's request.
The contemporary twist : Serve them in appetizer verrines topped with a shard of crispy tortilla and a lime zest: Mexico City street food invited to the cocktail.
Sources : Josefina Velázquez de León, Platillos Regionales de la República Mexicana (1946) · Diana Kennedy, The Cuisines of Mexico (1972)
José Vasconcelos · Charactorium
